Philippines
National
Nearly 55K struggling elementary learners benefit from DSWD's reading tutoring program
Nearly 55K struggling elementary learners benefit from DSWD's reading tutoring program
The expanded “Tara, Basa!” program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided reading tutoring services to nearly 55,000 struggling and non-reading elementary learners in this year’s sessions nationwide.
The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program is the department’s reformatted educational assistance initiative that creates a learning ecosystem by training college students from low-income families who are in challenging situations to become tutors and youth development workers (YDWs).
“After 20 reading and ‘Nanay-Tatay’ sessions, the DSWD, through the help of our trained college students, has assisted a total of 54,985 struggling and non-reader elementary learners and another 54,985 parents and guardians,” DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.
Dumlao explained that around 10,000 college students were trained to become tutors and YDWs, with 8,000 serving as tutors and 2,389 as YDWs.
The tutors were deployed in select elementary schools to provide reading tutoring to students.
Meanwhile, the YDWs conducted Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions for the parents and guardians of the grade school-beneficiaries.
Each tutor and YDW receives cash-for-work (CFW) for conducting 20 tutorial and parenting sessions with grade school learners and their parents or guardians.
The CFW amount is based on the regional minimum wage rate for their area.
“With the expansion of the tutoring program outside the National Capital Region (NCR), we can help more college students to defray their school expenses such as transportation expenses, school supplies, school projects, allowances, and other related expenses,” Dumlao said.
After the pilot implementation in NCR last year, the agency partnered with local government units (LGUs) in Regions 3 (Central Luzon), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 12 (Soccsksargen), and Calabarzon to expand the tutoring program.
Dumlao said that as of Aug. 1, participating schools in Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen have completed the 20-day tutoring sessions.
"Reading and parenting sessions in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and NCR were canceled due to the recent Super Typhoon Carina compounded by the southwest monsoon,” she said.
The participating schools in the three regions will conduct make-up sessions for the tutoring program until Aug. 10.